Chief Patron Shashi K Shetty donates Rs 25 Lacs to PCC
Business magnate, Chairman of AllCargo Logistics Ltd-Mumbai and also the principal promoter of City’s tallest skyscraper, luxury residential project ‘Planet SKS’, Shashi Kiran Shetty who was nominated as the “Chief Patron” of Prajna Counselling Centre-Mangaluru has generously donated Rs25 lakhs for the development and activities at the Centre.
Mangaluru: “We make a living by what we get, But we make a life by what we give. It is more agreeable to have the power to give than to receive.” had once said Winston Churchill. The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. The life of a man consists not in seeing visions and in dreaming dreams, but in active charity and in willing service. Every charitable act is a stepping stone towards heaven. Charity begins at home, but should not end there. Every good act is charity. A man’s true wealth hereafter is the good that he does in this world to his fellows. Where there is charity and wisdom, There is neither fear nor ignorance. Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning. Generosity consists not the sum given, But the manner in which it is bestowed.
And that’s exactly what “humanitarian” and a “Good Samaritan” Shashi Kiran Shetty has done by sharing part of his wealth for a good cause by donating Rs 25 lakhs towards Prajna Counselling Centre located at Jeppu Bappal 1st Cross, Jeppu, Mangaluru. Shetty who is the Chairman of one of the world’s largest logistics firm “AllCargo Logistics Pvt Ltd-Mumbai, and who is also the principal promoter of City’s tallest skyscraper-luxury residential project “Planet SKS” hailing originally from Bantwal-DK has now given Prajna a boost by becoming its patron, a first in the history of this 29-year-old institution. City-based non-governmental organization Prajna Counselling Centre is now all set to get a boost to its multifaceted activities for women, children and the vulnerable. Shashi Kiran Shetty was recently nominated as the “Chief Patron” of Prajna, and a function was arranged to felicitate on this occasion on 26 August at the Centre premises.
The Prajna Counselling Centre is a registered non-profit, secular service organization for social and educational development, and is registered under the Public Charitable Trust Act. The centre is managed and headed by a group of professionally trained and experienced women, who felt the need for a service-oriented agency to empower marginalized communities and provides individual and qualitative help for exploited women and children.The Prajna Counselling Centre was started by Prof. Hilda Rayappan, a self-reliant and well-educated woman, who comes from a marginal family and empowered her-self to reach her aim with confidence and heartiness. Prajna has consistently worked for the rehabilitation and empowerment of people such as destitute, marginalized women and children, youth, alcohol and drug dependents, psychologically-challenged and adults/children prone to HIV/AIDS. The centre reaches out to 25,000 such people on an average annually
Hilda Rayappan, director of the Centre in her welcome address said ” Sustainability of this institution with a 78-member staff and burgeoning expenses has become the key. Realizing the significance of the various social- and rehabilitation-oriented activities performed by us, Shashi Kiran Shetty has come forward to be a patron and support its sustainability. In Shashi Kiran’s absence we have his wife Arathi Shashi Kiran Shetty, and one of his relative,Supriya Shetty amidst here, who have also been inducted as new trust board members. The vision of our centre is to build a society where human rights are respected and protected and every individual can live with dignity. Our desire is the rehabilitation and the protection of women and children, who are marginalized, exploited and distressed, through a process of awareness building and self-empowerment. Help from Shashi Kiran Shetty will go a long way in the functioning and growth of this Centre, and organize many activities for the benefit of our children and adults.
The programme began with invoking God’s blessings through a prayer song sung by the children of Prajna, followed by a brief introduction of his boss,Shashi Kiran Shetty by N Surendra Shetty, Manager of AllCargo Ltd (CSR) – Mangaluru Operation, where he had high praise for his “Boss” for being a good boss, good humanitarian and a good citizen, who cares very much for the needy and less fortunate. Arathi SK Shetty was felicitated in a simple manner by Prof. Rayappan by garlanding her with a jasmine flowers garland. A group song, ‘Ensuring Rights of Women and Children’ was performed by SHG group members, followed by sharing of their thoughts on Prajna Centre by various board members of organizations motivated by Prajna Counselling Centre.
College students Ms Shravya and Deekshith expressed their thanks to AllCargo for the scholarships they received, and a couple, Gopal Shetty and wife narrated their story how Prajna De-addiction centre helped them to reunite after having marital problems. Chief guest Arathi SK Shetty addressing the audience said, ” We all should commend Prof. Hilda Rayappan and her team for taking all the interests and focusing in the area which includes women and children in distress, destitute and abandoned children, child labors, street children, alcoholics and drug addicts, mentally and physically challenged women, HIV/AIDS infected and affected, slum dwellers and people living in low income community areas. They are striving for the protection of women and children’s rights and the sensitization of the society, and the emancipation of women and children and the self-empowerment to stand up for their rights”.
” They also legal and referral services for individuals and families, in particular women, who are suffering from atrocities and injustice, and also provide family education programmes on child development, adolescent conflicts, and problems of teenagers, marriage, parenting, childcare and old age adjustments. They also provide counseling, treatment and rehabilitation service for chronic alcoholics and drug addicts and the supportive service for the concerned families, and also care for the improvement of health and providing of medical care to children and adults. AllCargo Logistics will always support all the good deeds and projects done by Prof. Rayappan and Prajana Counselling Centre”.
The programme concluded with few cultural dances and songs, with vote of thanks proposed by Beatrice Pereira, Secretary of Prajna. Lena Noronha, a trustee of Prajna also graced the occasion. The programme was professionally compered by Smt Dhanalakshmi, a former staff of Prajna.